1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a handheld device for wirelessly tracking, for example, a GPS equipped sports object as well as analyzing, receiving, transmitting received data, and storing data.
2. Background of the Related Art
The use of GPS in various implementations has proliferated over recent years. U.S. Pat. No. 6,768,450, to Walters, et al., granted on Jul. 27, 2004, and its child, U.S. Pat. No. 7,034,747, granted on Apr. 25, 2006, both disclose a “System And Method For Wirelessly Linking A GPS Device And A Portable Electronic Device” and both are incorporated herein by reference. The inventions therein, assigned to Garmin Ltd., are directed to wirelessly linking a GPS device with portable electronics device so as to provide the second device with GPS functions.
Applying GPS to sporting objects has also been investigated in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 7,095,312, to Erario et al., granted on Aug. 22, 2006, discloses a “System And Method For Tracking Identity Movement And Location Of Sports Objects” (the “'312 patent”) and is incorporated herein by reference. This patent discloses embedding electronics within a sports object, such as a golf ball, so that the ball is capable of utilizing GPS technology to communicate its position, using RF technology, with an RF receiver array. The array communicates with a system server, which may be a PC.
In view of the above disclosed prior art, what is needed is a handheld display device designed with the capability to both receive RF transmissions from a user-selected sporting object, such as a ball equipped with GPS enabling technology, as well as to display flight characteristics of the sports objects on a display screen.